LaMelo Ball

[GuardianAngel25]

Just saying this but the Pelicans should make a run after LaMelo Ball in the draft. I have been saying this kid is the real and a #1 overall talent for a couple years. Coming to a team with his brother would be perfect for the kid. I would trade multiple future 1st to move up into the right spot and grab him. We absolutely have the resources to make a big move and still have a lot left. I just think this kid is going to be that good and with how mature he has already become along with Lonzo my belief in him has sky rocketed.

A legit 6’7 athletic and long PG/SG/SF who has an elite skill set being able to do it all. Better natural scorer and shooter then his brother while being even more gifted as a passer. Reminds me a lot of Luka Doncic mixed with his brother Zo. Lots of defensive potential but has never been in a system that actually played it. Great place in Nola to come learn and develop in this area with no bad habits being picked up. Lived and trained with his brother this year which I think really helped elevate his game.

Adding his versatility to what we have now gives us everything we need top to bottom with players under 23 y/o. Hands down my favorite pick in the draft for this team. He could pull an Eli and force a teams hand to move him here by threatening to unleash his Dad hahaha!!

Say we have a top 7 lottery pick next year who is your guy? Knowing we have the assets to move into any spot from there pretending everyone is available.. What player do you pick next year to build with our young core?

[AusPel]

Lmao

[Pelicanidae]

If you end up with a pick in the top 10, LaMelo is a perfectly justifiably choice. He has really good touch, very good court vision and passing instincts, and just reads the floor very well in a way that you can't teach.

If you end up picking in 1st overall, LaMelo is almost impossible to justify as of right now, imo. His shooting percentages so far in AUS are absolutely abominable (34/18/74 splits so far in the NBL, which equates to a TS% of 42.7%. Just terrible) and while his defense on a team level has been better than some people have been willing to accept, he's still not a plus defender overall: probably sits about neutral there.

Obviously there's still a lot of games to go, but LaMelo has played 8 games in Australia. As weird as it may be to make judgements off such small samples, it is something you sometimes have to do when it comes to drafting: Garland had only played 2 games last year, and teams had to make the judgement call based on that. LaMelo could obviously improve, and probably will in some ways, but yeah he's far from the #1 pick favourite at this point.

[GuardianAngel25]

Lmao

You can laugh now but I’m not the only one talking about his potential as a legit #1 pick. Lots of basketball experts are talking about him as the best player in this draft. The kid is a legit 6’7 with a better overall skill set then his brother and a better more versatile game then anyone in this draft. I could care less with what some advanced stats are saying I’m worried about talent and potential. Still have a year of college basketball to play out where a lot can change with players coming out of nowhere but with what I know about him now compared to others he’s legitimately someone I target in the lottery.

[bustah]

Will be interesting how he fairs this weekend without Aaron Brooks in the lineup but I hope he steps up like he did last game against the reigning champs

[AusPel]

You can laugh now but I’m not the only one talking about his potential as a legit #1 pick. Lots of basketball experts are talking about him as the best player in this draft. The kid is a legit 6’7 with a better overall skill set then his brother and a better more versatile game then anyone in this draft. I could care less with what some advanced stats are saying I’m worried about talent and potential. Still have a year of college basketball to play out where a lot can change with players coming out of nowhere but with what I know about him now compared to others he’s legitimately someone I target in the lottery.

Lottery fine but no way he's going 1

[Eman5805]

Recency bias? Or just premature. I don’t know. But this time last year, Zion wasn’t even considered the first pick of the draft. Not universally. Many thought it’s be Barrett. And Ja Morant was known. But not too 2 pick known.

Let the college season go for a while. I like LaMelo a bit too. But a beast could arise. Set the game on fire.

[13 - 3]

He might just be around when we pick. I like the kid too GA.

P.S. Thank you for changing your avatar.

[Dr. Sting]

https://www.si.com/nba/2019/10/30/nb...ds-lamelo-ball

Sports Illustrated has him going #2 overall to the Knicks.

[Pelicanidae]

https://www.si.com/nba/2019/10/30/nb...ds-lamelo-ball

Sports Illustrated has him going #2 overall to the Knicks.

Sports Illustrated also has James Wiseman going 3rd overall which... I mean... it's the Hornets, so maybe they make that choice, but based on actual output thus far, Wiseman shouldn't be considered a top 10 prospect at all. Obviously he could change that with a stellar showing at the college level, but he's done absolutely nothing aside from be tall and long to warrant being top 10 as of this point.

The fact that they don't even have Isaac Okoro going in the first round is a joke, especially considering that they have guys like Precious Achiuwa in there.

[Pelicanidae]

I guess I should say that maybe the SI list is working on a different premise than I am. Maybe that's not their big board, or power rankings, per se, but just who they think that particular team would draft. Which would make it slightly more excusable to have Wiseman 3rd, because I could see the Hornets making that mistake, and I could also see teams somehow passing over Okoro. But if it's meant to be any kind of ''this is where guys should go'', then it's a terrible list.

[13 - 3]

Remember when the Knicks were automatically getting Zion?

[Mythrol]

I think there is a difference between saying he should be taken 1st overall and saying we should give up multiple future 1sts to get him.

If we want to take him even with the 1st pick then that's fine I can understand some people are higher up on him than others. It seems most people are taking issue with giving up multiple future 1sts and not the actual drafting of Lamelo.

[kinglio21093]

Idk about Melo man.

One of the more offensively gifted dudes I've seen, but I also see no motivation to play defense from him, which will hold him back.

[Pelicanidae]

Idk about Melo man.

One of the more offensively gifted dudes I've seen, but I also see no motivation to play defense from him, which will hold him back.

How much have you watched of him in AUS?

His one on one defense there leaves a LOT to be desired but his team D has actually been fairly solid.

[GuardianAngel25]

I think there is a difference between saying he should be taken 1st overall and saying we should give up multiple future 1sts to get him.

If we want to take him even with the 1st pick then that's fine I can understand some people are higher up on him than others. It seems most people are taking issue with giving up multiple future 1sts and not the actual drafting of Lamelo.

So a kid we would be willing to take 1st overall wouldn’t be worth moving a future 1st to get by moving up 5 spots? Makes little sense

[GuardianAngel25]

Recency bias? Or just premature. I don’t know. But this time last year, Zion wasn’t even considered the first pick of the draft. Not universally. Many thought it’s be Barrett. And Ja Morant was known. But not too 2 pick known.

Let the college season go for a while. I like LaMelo a bit too. But a beast could arise. Set the game on fire.

Yea I completely agree a lot could change. Not only do I like his skill set but love his fit here with what he could do.

[GuardianAngel25]

He might just be around when we pick. I like the kid too GA.

P.S. Thank you for changing your avatar.

Haha thanks for the reminder! But no inspiration.. where is yours?!

[Mythrol]

So a kid we would be willing to take 1st overall wouldn’t be worth moving a future 1st to get by moving up 5 spots? Makes little sense

This is your sentence from the OP

"I would trade multiple future 1st to move up into the right spot and grab him."

This is what I'm talking about. You are now trying to move the goalpost and I have no interest in it. If you want to admit you don't believe we should trade multiple 1sts to try and get him and instead are asking if he's worth 1 future 1st to get him, then we can talk.